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February 21, 2014

Akash missile test-fired

India on Thursday test-fired the indigenously developed surface-to-air Akash missile from the Integrated Test Range launch complex at Chandipur near here.

The missile targeted a floating object supported by Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) 'Lakshya', defence officials said.
"Akash was test fired from launch complex-3 at 11.22am," a defence
official said, adding that "some more trials would be conducted within
the next couple of days".

"During the trial, the missile was
aimed at intercepting a floating object supported by a pilotless target
aircraft, flown from launch complex-II, at a definite altitude over the
sea," according to a source.

Akash is a medium range surface-to-air anti-aircraft defence system developed by the DRDO as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

It has a strike range of 25 km and can carry a warhead of 60 kgs. It
has the capability to target aircraft up to 30 km away and is packed
with a battery that can track and attack several targets simultaneously,
they said.